What is Active Network?Active Network is a technology and media company that helps millions of people find and register for things to do and helps organisations increase participation in theirevents and activities.

4 Things to Keep in Mind When Planning an Event

Having worked with a number of event organisers over the years, we've
found that there are some things that can be easily overlooked when you
are in the beginning phases of planning your first event. Giving special
consideration to these 4 things from the start will ensure that your
event goes smoothly:

Have you obtained the necessary permits to hold your event?Whether
or not you are required to apply for a Special Events Permit will
depend on your community, town, or city law. This should be the first
thing you look into. Some communities require that you file a permit for
any event over 1,000 attendees while some may request an application
for any event over 10. There may also be a threshold number at which
police presence is required to ensure the orderliness of your guests.
Your best bet is to contact your city council or local government so
that they can inform you of any special requirements for holding an
event in the area.

SafetyPeople want to have fun and
they will undoubtedly want to participate in your event because it
promises to be a good time for the whole family. Keep in mind that one
of the biggest draws for your event will not only be the fun activities
offered but also the level of organization and focus on the well being
and safety of the event attendees. Is your event location in a safe
area? Will children be safe if they stray away? Are you located near a
street with heavy traffic? Are the event grounds contained and fenced in
or can people who are not invited wander into your crowd of attendees?
Addressing these and other safety issues will not only ensure your
attendee's security but also enable you to market your event as an
exciting and safe occasion to be shared by all.

FoodMore
often than not, events will include some sort of food or refreshments
for attendees. The logistics involved in feeding a crowd of hundreds can
be frightening but a little planning will ensure that no one goes
hungry. Two things you should ask yourself are: Where will the food come
from and how will I have an accurate idea of how much food I will need?
To address the first issue, you will need to decide if you will hire a
catering company or purchase and serve the food yourself. The
advantages to hiring a company are obviously that they will handle
everything from purchasing the food, to cooking the food, to serving the
food, and cleaning up after the event. The downside is the cost of
course. If you have a good group of event volunteers, you may want to
consider taking on the job yourself. The cost saved may be well worth
the effort. The second issue of deciding how much food to buy can be
the most difficult one. The last thing you want to do is purchase 2,000
hot dogs only to find that your attendees are more in the mood for
hamburgers. To get the most accurate count of food items needed for the
event, make sure you include a section on your event entry form to
collect the attendee's food preference (hot dog or hamburger). As the
registration forms are flowing in you will be able to accurately project
how much and what types of food you should load up on in the weeks
prior to the event.

How Will You Collect Attendee Data and Payment?The
greatest challenge to hosting an event is finding a way to efficiently
collect attendee payment and data. Ideally, you want to devise a
procedure that is time efficient for your event staff and quick and easy
for the attendee. In the past, event registration
was offered exclusively on paper registration forms and probably went
something like this: The attendee would fill out the paper form and mail
it off to the event by post including a check. Once received by the
event, a staff member would have to manually transfer the attendee's
personal information into a spreadsheet and make a trip to the bank to
make a deposit. After a week or two of waiting, the attendee would get a
letter back confirming his entry into the event. The main concern here
is the length of time it takes your staff to process one entry and the
time the attendee has to wait before receiving a confirmation. The
result can be an overworked event staff and an attendee uncertain if his
payment has been received. The growing trend in today's events industry
is the use of online registration software. There is a variety of event
registration software out there, some better than others. You will want
to find one that offers complete automation of all the tasks normally
required in hosting an event. This means finding a software that
provides online credit card processing, easily customizable online
registration forms, a secure database to house your attendee data,
various data reporting options accessible from any internet connection,
automatic confirmation emails sent to the attendee after making online
payment, and an email marketing system that will enable you to keep in
contact with your attendees and reach out to the them following year to
invite them to your event. If you find a software that is right for your
event, the resulting reduction of workload will allow your staff focus
less on the mundane tasks and spend more time working on what is
important - tending to your attendees!

ConclusionWith
a growing number of people looking to take part in novel activities
these days, there is plenty of opportunity for new event planners to
break into the industry. The catch is that with the number of new events
out there, only the most organized and thoughtful event planners will
create something that truly stands out from the rest. From my
experience, the key to setting off on the right foot and creating
something successful is thinking about these four items from the very
start. This solid foundation will make launching your event easier and
will lay the groundwork for an event destined for growth and popularity
for years to come.

Active Network is a technology and media company that helps millions of people find and register for things to do and helps organisations increase participation in their events and activities.